Gomandala- Gopooja' inaugurated; emphasis laid on worshipping cow

Madikeri, May 30: Environmentalists have opposed the Karnataka Forest Department and the Public Works Department’s move to erect concrete pillars and marking of trees to construct a proposed road from Patti to Todikana within the Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary near Talacauvery in Kodagu District.

They have urged for immediate stopping of road works in a protected area.

In a letter to Conservator of Forests, Mysuru Circle, T Heeralal and DCF (Territorial and In-charge Wildlife) S Prabhakaran, the Trustees of Wildlife First K M Chinnappa and A A Poovaiah have termed the road works illegal and violates Supreme Court order on National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

The letter’s copy has also been sent to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), and Kodagu Deputy Commissioner urging them to halt the progress of the road works. “Patti and Todikana are at the core of the Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and such unilateral activities without complete approval on completion of the statutorily mandated procedure (both under Forest Conservation Act and Wild Life Protection Act),” the letter stated.

The letter added that they would be forced to move the Courts and the officers who have given approval to the project would face legal consequences.

Bengaluru, Jun 24: Dr K Sudhakar on Wednesday held a video conference with senior officials to review the preparedness for conducting of SSLC examinations safely which is beginning from Thursday.

"8,48,203 students will appear for the SSLC examination starting tomorrow in 2,879 centres across the state. All the guidelines issues by state government must be followed strictly" Sudhakar said in the meeting.

"It is the collective responsibility of officials of all departments to ensure that every student is safe, from the time he or she leaves home for the exam centre and returns home after the exams. The vehicles used to ferry students, where public transport is not available, must be sanitised properly. The surroundings near exam centres, exam halls, toilets must be sanitised properly. Social distancing must be maintained in the exam hall and mask must be provided to all students," he said.

The minister also said that since the students have been asked to arrive at exam centre at 7:30 in the morning, a small biscuit packet must be provided to each student so that they don't feel hungry during the exam and till they return home after the exam.

"Thermal scanning of every student should be done before allowing inside the exam hall. In case there is fever those students must be made to write exam in separate room. Separate exam halls must be arranged for students in quarantine areas and if it's not feasible they must be allowed to write exam in September. District administrations must disseminate information about precautionary measures taken to build confidence among parents," the minister said.

Sudhakar instructed the officials to work in coordination with the Education Department and other departments.

Stating that there are 458 containment zones in Bengaluru, the minister asked the officials to be extra cautious in these areas and make arrangements to ensure health department staff can take students to the nearest health center if anybody is found ill during the exam.

Education Minister Suresh Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary Javed Akhtar, Education Secretary, Secretary of Medical Education Department, BBMP officials, Health Experts and others were present.

Bengaluru, June 22: Even as the covid-19 positive cases are steadily increasing in Karnataka, an expert has claimed that community transmission has begun in Bengaluru and cases could keep rising over the next two months.

“If you look at the natural course of this virus across countries around the world, it is about six months. Now we’re in the fourth month. This will go on for another two months. It also sounds like this is the beginning of the peak. There is also a possibility of the number of cases going up from now on. Even across India, cases are increasing,” says Dr CN Manjunath, director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research and State Task Force member.

Besides the increase in number of cases, the virus is advancing silently, stealthily. A lot of people who are testing positive are asymptomatic. In areas like Padarayanapura, Nanjangud and many places in north Karnataka, there have been positive cases who have not had any contact with infected individuals. Some cases recorded in Bengaluru over the last two to three days have not had any contact with Covid-positive people.

Dr Manjunath adds: “We are in community transmission. This will happen because nature is ahead of everything. We have to take all possible precautionary measures at our command. This has to happen. Only then some kind of herd immunity will be developed.”

“We are expanding the guidelines of testing to include a large number of people to be tested. Now, according to the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines, only symptomatic Influenza like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI), or a person coming in contact with an infected person are being tested.

But since we have crossed 100 days in Karnataka from the first reported case and we’re getting cases with no travel history or contact with a Covid-positive person, we have to start random testing across the sub-group population. Only then will we understand the burden of the disease and what precautions need to be taken,” he says.